


The Spark Of Life

by torviironside



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 09:01:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7308562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torviironside/pseuds/torviironside
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leticia Riviera finds an unlikely savior in an Avenger that both terrifies and fascinates her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea nagging in my mind for a while now and I had to write it down. I kind of want to keep writing this, turn it into something more than just a short story but I'm not sure yet. Comments & Kudos are always welcome and appreciated! <3
> 
> Also, for reference this takes place somewhere between Avengers: Age of Ultron & Thor: Ragnarok.
> 
> For a visual reference of what Leticia looks like:

I wasn't sure how I had gotten into this position – which seemed like the ironic and unfortunate story of my life. I hadn't meant to get lost, not that I thought that most people intended to get lost. I was new to London though thus far I had been fortunate that my new work building was not all that far from my flat. Two blocks. Except I had decided to be brave and venture out, figuring that if I only stuck to those two blocks I would never get to fully experience what England had to offer me. I had followed Siri's directions but realized quickly that the abandoned port was _not_ the restaurant I'd been attempting to find my way to. I clutched my phone tightly in my hand, taking a calming breath through my nose though it did little to stifle the anxious feeling gnawing unwelcomingly at the pit of my stomach. I hunched my shoulders in my feminine pea-coat, diverting my eyes to the sand and gravel path before me, derelict buildings somehow more terrifying then I would have imagined. There was something decidedly unwelcome about buildings boarded up with broken windows and overgrown vegetation climbing up their sides.

A light rain had begun to fall and I cursed myself for not bringing an umbrella, though the sudden change in weather was bizarre to me. The forecast hadn't shown any rain – in fact just the opposite. It was supposed to be _sunny_ today. My tight brunette and blonde curls were an unruly mess from the humidity – though taming them was a chore I did not often indulge truthfully, unless I was attending a formal work function and even _then_ it was a rarity. Thus far, this morning had _not_ gone to plan.

Graffiti adorned the walls of some of the buildings and others remained bare except for the wear of weather. I should have turned around and headed back the way I'd came the moment I came to the realization that I was not in the place I desired but I'd always had a knack for adventure and for reasons I could not explain I was intrigued. I adored history, was studying it as a matter of fact, and I pondered at the history of this ruinous site as I walked through it despite that I was tense.

Rapacious laughter froze me to the bone and caused the muscles in my shoulders to stiffen as I rounded an abandoned bus and found a group of young men, maybe late teens or early twenties like me with spray cans in their hands. I shrunk against the bus, flinging myself back and against the cold and rusted metal praying, with my heart in my throat, that they hadn't seen me.

“Hey beautiful,” One of them called out to me with a snicker in his voice. Bile rose, unbidden and I turned and quickly power walked back in the way I was coming. “Hey! Come back, we only want to talk!” The bold one yelled after me. I could hear their footsteps as they followed me but didn't dare to look back. My legs were much shorter than there's and eventually terror won over my attempt to appear calm and I broke out into a run, never so grateful that my mother had pushed me to join the track team in high school than I'd ever been.

My breath tore through my lungs as I propelled myself over a low fence, stumbling into the alley and against the building, the hard slap of my hands and elbows against the cement building painful. I regained my footing as quickly as I could and resumed running, hoping to confuse them by switching up my path instead of hating straight for the opening in the gate I had squeezed through earlier.

Except, I had no idea where I was going and I had a sinking feeling that they did.

Still. Forward was my only option.

They called out to me leisurely, confident their pace slow and arrogant as they emerged from the alley, I saw as I glanced back. A shriek tore itself from my lips as a bright flash of lighting descended directly in front of me, it's searing heat washing over me, an electrical charge felt through the thin hairs on my arms. A crack of thunder so loud that it hurt my ears echoed around us and I slammed full force into something hard and cool, saved from falling on my behind in the mud by what I blindly assumed to be an arm for a large hand took up most of my back – strong caught me in the nick of time. I blinked furiously, pushing my sopping wet curls out of my face surprised to find that though a downpour had viciously began to fall I was dry.

“You should take your leave.” The deep, accented voice that rumbled from the chest of the man that had magically appeared out of thin air was thunder personified as he addressed the group of young men and left me shuddering as I felt it in my bones. It was a command, one that left little to be desired if they did not comply.

“Pft,” The one snorted. _Cocky_. It made my skin crawl. “Who the fuck are you supposed to be, mate?”

“Jimmy...that's Thor, man.”

_Thor_? As in...the Norse God...the Avenger? I blinked up at him, taking in the cool blue and silver armor my suddenly extremely dainty hand was pressed against covering his broad chest, the red cape that snapped around us in the wind, Mjölnir hanging in the grip of the hand that wasn't pressed against my back, the blonde hair that hung past the pauldrons of his armor, and the blue eyes. I'd only ever seen Thor on the television and I had to admit that it barely did the Thunder God justice. His face inclined down towards mine for a moment - maybe to ensure himself that I was alright even though the truth was that I was far from it – and though I found nothing but kindness in the depths of his captivating, ethereal eyes I found that I was terrified.

I was so caught up in taking in and being terrified of my savior that I had almost forgotten those that I'd been running from.

“It was just a spot of fun, mate.” One of the boys spoke up, taking a step towards us, his hands held up in surrender, his voice trembling. I didn't blame him. Thor had fought with the Avengers to save earth and humanity but I could not ignore the fact that he was a _God_ and that terrified me more than I cared to admit. He was larger than I had imagined, towering over me. He was _powerful_ and though it was easy to assume that he meant me no harm I felt like a lamb in the arms of a wolf. My breath caught in my throat and though I desired to step back, afraid that I had offended him I drew my hand back from the chest plate of his armor and clenched my hand into a fist, pulling it into my sleeve.

“Go have your fun elsewhere and know that this mortal is protected by Thor Odinsson.” That sounded like...overkill? We all knew it was a bluff. Perhaps not for the moment but no doubt for the future. Like the ruler of Asgard and an Avenger didn't have _better_ things to do then to ensure that I wasn't about to be taken advantage of by a group of young men who had nothing better to do than to be the scum of society – for there was little doubt in my mind what they planned to do when they'd caught up to me. Besides, he didn't even _know_ me. I appreciated it, I really did, but that did not change the fact that Thor scared me.

The young men muttered things under their breath and I watched them turn away, leaving us alone. I stepped back from Thor then, grateful that he let me put the distance between us.

“Thank you for...for that.” I stuttered to him, not daring to look in his eyes again. As silly as it probably sounded I didn't feel that I was worthy to look upon his face.

“You are afraid.” Thor observed, his tone almost sad, after a moment of silence that stretched on between us. “You need not to be. They shall not hurt you.” My lips parted and I fought around the guilt that lumped in my throat. How could I possibly tell him that it was _him_ that caused my trepidation without it sounding awful?

“I...thank you again, Thor, really.” I took another step back, my hazel eyes widening at the change of his expression. Clearly, my reaction was not the one he had anticipated. It was bewildering to me how the God of Thunder could go from looking every bit how the Vikings had depicted him in their Sagas: terrifying and quintessentially kingly to a forlorn puppy the next?

“Will you at least tell me your name?” The Avenger called after me causing me to pause, at the precipice of where his magic ended. It was a perfect circle and where it ended the rain fell without mercy. Another step and I would be drenched. I glimpsed over my shoulder and swallowed thickly. No doubt if he truly wanted it he did not need me to speak it to him.

“Leticia. Leticia Riviera.” I told him before I stepped out into the downpour and left Thor standing there, though I did pause to look back at him over my shoulder before I shimmied my way through the broken chain link fence and hurried across the busy street. When I looked back Thor was gone as if he'd never been there at all except for the circle where the ground was utterly dry where he'd stood though with time without his magic to prevent it, that reminder, too, would vanish.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Two weeks passed after the incident with Thor and for the most part I had forgotten my encounter with the God made Avenger – at least as much as one could forget an encounter like that. It was easier than I had assumed it would be, though. There were no feelings of doom, no feelings that it had been a meeting of destiny or any other overly romanticized things a girl could feel meeting a literal Adonis. In fact, Adonis did not compare to Thor...not even close, really. Perhaps this was because I did not look at Thor and see a knight in shining armor...though he was surprisingly gallant and his armor did shine, all clichés considered; but that was coincidence. Battle armor not meant to impress some fair maiden but to protect him from the blows of those he would war with. He was Thor. Not Prince Charming.

“Tea!” My roommate hauled off a nice kick to my shin causing me to yelp and jump, slamming my kneecap on our small dining room table.

  
“Ouch,” I complained, grabbing the rickety thing to keep our dishes and delicate china tea set from tumbling to the floor.

  
“Sorry babe,” Marissa snickered, attempting to hide her laugh. I glared at her and rubbed my tender knee cap hoping desperately that I did not end up with a bruise there, or where she'd kicked me for that matter. “but you were scowling pretty viciously at this very inoffensive box of poptarts.” She picked it up and waved it in front of my face causing me to scowl again and snatch it from her grasp, sitting it back down upon the table.

  
“Is there something you want to talk about?”

  
“No,” I sighed. It was the truth. I hadn't spoken to anyone about my bizarre encounter with Thor and had no intentions of doing so. It was all just coincidence. He'd happened to be in the right place at the right time. I was just so tired of hearing them drone on and on about him and the other Avengers. How they'd saved the world not once but twice; and then of course the replay of how Thor had stood alone against the might and wrath of the mysterious aliens known as the Dark Elves.

  
It seemed they were always prattling on about the Avengers, though mostly it was Tony Stark that dominated the news scene though that wasn't particularly anything new. In all fairness to the billionaire he'd been famous before he put on the iron suit and called himself a super hero.

  
“Are you-are you sure? Because you've been really distracted and tense lately.” Marissa broached cautiously over the brim of her tea cup.

  
“I'm sorry, I don't mean to be distant or grouchy,” I swallowed thickly. Well now I just felt like a giant arsehole and the guilt twisted in my stomach. “I shouldn't take it out on you. I just...Professor James is being really hard on me lately and I don't know why, and with his relentless drilling and the midterm finals coming up I feel like I'm going to break from the pressure.” I felt better getting that off my chest. Admittedly, I didn't like to complain about school. I loved it, for the most part, and I adored studying Norse mythology and the Viking culture – in fact I adored all ancient civilizations – and it was no small trouble my mother had put herself through to ensure that I pursued my dream career even if it put her in tremendous amounts of debt.

  
“You'll figure it out, Tea, you always do.” She reached across the small table and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “You're the smartest person I know, I've got faith in you.” I smiled at her and pulled my hand away when I glanced at the clock.

  
“Oh shit, I'm going to be late.” I brushed scone crumbs off of my jean shorts and fussed with my simple white blouse for a moment before I scooped my bag off of the couch. “Thank you so much Marissa. I don't know what I'd do without you.”

  
“Fall apart, basically.” She flashed me a blinding smile that made me laugh. It was probably true. “Do you have your phone?”

  
“Check.”

“Keys?”

  
“Present.” I peered into my bag just to double check one last time before I waved goodbye to her and headed out the door, hurrying down the steps not bothering to take the elevator. That would just make me later than I already was, I feared. I almost stumbled down the stairs once, though my arm against the wall saved me from tumbling down the stair case. When I reached the lobby I shouted a goodbye at the doorman who barely had enough time to get it open for me. I hailed a cap and crawled in, slipping him an extra ten to get me to the school as quickly as he possibly could.

 

When we reached the school I paid the cab driver and took off in a run across the campus grounds, my bag gripped tightly in my hand, my books jabbing me painfully in the rib cage as I hurried to my lecture, discreetly sliding into the hall and taking the nearest empty seat, pulling out my laptop and trying to act like I'd been there the whole time.  
“Miss Rivera.” I hung my head slightly, muttering a low curse under my breath as Professor James called me out.

  
“Yes Professor?” I inquired as brightly as I could manage, trying to conceal the fact that I was still trying to catch my breath from my jaunt across the university grounds. He gave me a terse look and walked up the steps of the isle, his hands clasped behind his back. I shifted in my seat as he approached, puffing out my cheeks slightly knowing that I couldn't hide the pink the exertion of running had left behind on them.

  
“So very kind of you to join us.” I didn't bother speaking up in my defense knowing that he wouldn't be interested in my excuses, no matter how legitimate they were. It wasn't as if I was late. In fact, aside from today and the day of the “Incident” I hadn't been late ever. Bizarrely, however, he didn't goad me further, instead, turned his back to me and continued with the lecture as if the exchange between us hadn't happened at all.

  
I typed down the notes, trying to keep pace with his lecture and keep my head low.

  
The lecture ended and I saved my notes and closed up my laptop, tucking it away in my bag as my classmates got up and exited the hall around me. I gathered the strap of my bag and slung it over my shoulder and stood, pausing at the door, my hand pressed flat against it as I prepared to push it open when Professor James called out to me.

  
“Leticia...” But I never got to hear what he intended to say to me for the next second the door wrenched open and I nearly fell into the throng of people that had converged in on the hall around the lecture hall, their voices loud and drowning into one, their words nearly indiscernible as they hovered like a swarm of excited bees.

  
“What's the meaning of this!” Professor James yelled from within the lecture hall.

  
Yet whether no one heard him or simply didn't care was unknown.

“Woah, do you see his muscles, mate? Bigger than my head.”

“He's so handsome.”

  
“Ugh, I would ride him like a wild bull.”

  
A sinking feeling began to make itself present in my stomach and I hunched my shoulders and edged my way around the gathered crowd where they trapped Thor.  
It seemed trapped was the wrong word. Why it didn't enter my mind that if Thor did not wish them to buzz and converge around him like flies he would have dismissed them – though I could not decide whether this was kindness on his part or arrogance – I didn't know but I froze when I heard a familiar voice call out “Leticia Rivera!” in a tone that was noting less than genuinely jovial, heard even over the white noise that had become the students' voices.

  
I spun on my heel to see the God of Thunder move through the crowd of onlookers that parted for him like the red sea as he made his way to me in a few quick, long strides. I stared at him, dumbfounded for a moment. For the first time that I could ever recall seeing Thor, he was not wearing what had quickly became his trademark battle armor. In it's stead he wore a relaxed albeit tight fitting dark gray tee-shirt, and a dark maroon jacket whose lapels jutted out as if they were soaked in some impressive starch with dark denim jeans and boots. It was so normal (in a way that was very regal, mind) that it struck me as more bizarre than the fact that the Thunder God was seeking me specifically. For a moment, I was struck speechless, my gift of witty tongue in cheek comebacks utterly demolished in his presence, particularly left feeling embarrassed when I noted that he smelled rather good. Like iris and sandalwood. A powdery and slightly woodsy scent. Pleasant and warm.

  
I took a step back and gave myself a metaphorical slap on the cheek. Now was not the time to oogle him, nor was it the time to admire how he smelled of all things. It was the time to be asking the important questions. Like why he had sought me out – because while I could easily write everything else off as sheer coincidence this I simply couldn't. He had came here, to my university no less to find me. There was no other explanation.

  
I blinked, realizing he was beaming down at me. Gods, his teeth were perfect. Pearly white. As was human nature I could not help but wonder if every part of him was as equally as flawless. I grappled with what I wanted to do, aware of the eyes that were staring at us. I wasn't so sure I really wanted eavesdroppers on our conversation and so I wordlessly grabbed his hand, clenching my teeth against the small jolt that moved from the tips of my fingers up my arm as my dainty hand slid easily into his much larger, warmer one. I was angry and horrified that I'd been put in such an unwanted spotlight that it can celled, momentarily at the very least, out my fear of Thor himself as I led him into the nearest empty room – the abandoned storage room and closed the door behind us, slipping my hand from his as quickly as I could, hesitant in offending him so that I could reach up and pull the string attached to the light bulb.

  
“Is it customary to pull someone in a darkened, close quartered room?” My lips parted and I took a step back from him, pressing my back against the wall, suddenly aware that my quick thinking wasn't all that ideal. He wasn't wrong. It was built for a single person not a single person and Thor. My first instinct was to want to slap him for his words had came across to me, immediately, as being suggestive. But this was Thor and to his credit it hadn't sounded suggestive, and he was not giving me any sort of bedroom eyes. Instead, his eyes were amused, the edges crinkled, his smile telling me of the effort he was exerting not to laugh at me. Besides, I worked to assure himself, this was Thor: the prince of Asgard, a shining Avenger, protector of the nine realms and every and other sickeningly romantic title they could pin on him, who was, as reluctant I was to admit it, exceptionally well mannered. “It's a very strange custom.”

  
“I don't like being stared at,” I grumbled at him, unable to meet his eyes as I pushed my curls back out of my eyes, daring to peek at him while I did so. “and I didn't want to eavesdropping.” Granted, locking myself in a closet with Thor probably would not spare me any type of mercy during my trip around the rumor mill. If anything, I'd probably unintentionally made it ten times worse. Not to mention closing myself off in a confined space with the God of Thunder didn't exactly put my nerves at ease but I'd been at a loss and acted on an impulse that I realized now might have been a poor one.

  
“Why are you here?” I demanded having gathered up the courage to muster that before I lost it. I planted my hands on my hips, craning my head back to look up at him. He was so tall and stalwart.

  
“I wanted to see you again.” While the blinding smile would have been enough to melt any woman and man to a puddle at his feet, coupled with words but they only served to freeze me to my core.

  
“Why?” I choked on the word.

  
“I swore to protect you.” He shifted his weight, the tip of his large boot against the tip of my own boot and casually I shifted my foot back. I rolled my eyes and scoffed, though I regretted it in the next instance when I saw his face fall.

  
His gaze became clouded and I attempted to flatten myself against the wall, afraid that I had offended him. I had let my irritation get the better of me, foolishly forgetting in a singular second who I was addressing and the fact that killing me would be so simple for him.

  
“From a group of young men that I am no longer in danger from,” I paused and bit my bottom lip. “Thanks to you, of course,” I added softly, hoping to erase the troubling look upon his handsome face. With a slight tremble in my hand I reached out to touch his hand – meant to be a small comforting gesture. “but I'm one in billions, Thor and I'm hardly in danger now.” I spoke softly, realizing that I was approaching him as I would a cornered animal. Soft tone, innocent body language. He was a like a mighty lion and I did not want to be the gazelle he took for his prey.

  
He had his long hair pulled back save for a few loose strands that had worked their way loose of the tie, two pieces framing his face. He looked... different than he did in his battle armor. Less like the warrior god that he was but still. His eyes, like a stormy galaxy, bore into me.

  
I heard the sound of footfalls and the demanding voice of Professor James as he asked a couple students where I was.

  
“Oh no,” I groaned, leaning against the wall, burying my face in my hands.

  
“She's in the storage with Thor.” A girl sneered and I cursed lowly.

  
“Don't be preposterous,” Professor James scoffed at her. “Miss Rivera isn't in the storage room with a Norse god.”

  
“What does he want from me?” I asked myself aloud, forgetting Thor's presence until he tentatively touched my shoulder, his large hand engulfing the elegant curve of my shoulder. I felt delicate under his touch and I wasn't sure I liked it – like you were supposed to. I held my breath as the door knob jostled. When I heard Professor James stomp off, likely to get a Janitor's key I unlocked the door and opened it poking my head out. “The coast is clear. You need to get out of here.”

  
Thor followed me out into the hall and I readjusted my bag, meeting his confused gaze that morphed into one that reminded me of a kicked puppy that I felt insanely guilty.  
“Ok we'll go to this little cafe across from the University. I'm famished and I mean...do you...eat?” It was a super awkward question and I felt a blush rise in my cheeks and heat my ears as Thor let out a hearty laugh.

  
“Yes, I eat Leticia Rivera.”

  
“Right, just call me Letty, ok?” And when Thor smiled at me it was genuine and I felt something inside me crack but I turned quickly on my heel and scowled at the empty hall. “Alright, let's go.”

  
“Letty, wait,” He grabbed my wrist but politely dropped it when I whirled around and jerked it free of his grip, feeling my heart pick up it's rhythm in my chest. “I need to grab Mjölnir.” And then he took down the hall with my half running after his quick strides to keep up.

  
“Wait, you mean to tell me-” I sucked in a deep breath. “that you brought your hammer to my University?”

  
“Of course.” Thor grinned over his shoulder as if he were teasingly appalled that I was surprised that he would leave Mjölnir behind. I was moderately surprised he'd been allowed in at all considering he could be considered a weapon of mass destruction in and of itself. He hardly needed his hammer to wield his powers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I might eventually change the rating of this to Mature as it may lean towards mature themes down the line. For right now though there's nothing that requires me to change it from General Audience. c: Hope you guys enjoy it! I plan for this to be a slow burn so the first couple of chapters are going to be slow-ish, but I promise not to try to make it too slow as to lose interest.


End file.
